Ava, Our Original Lemonade Advocate

With 50 stands across 16 states, Ava Forrest, a nine-year-old from North Carolina, raised funds to support orphans living at Hannah’s Hope. The fundraiser was Ava’s idea, and a very personal one. She got the idea for “Lemonade for the Least of These” after visiting Hannah’s Hope, an orphan transition home in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where her family adopted her brother, Judah. The trip had a big impact on her. Her goal is to let kids in America know that there are kids without moms and dads, and that no one is too young to help them.

To raise funds, Ava decided to put a spin on an already well-established and beloved pastime: the lemonade stand. Instead of just setting up a stand by herself, she wanted to encourage other people to sell lemonade, all on the same day. It was a simple concept that picked up traction right away. The name “Lemonade for the Least of These” comes from a Bible verse, Matthew 25:40, where Jesus tells his followers, “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”